Jerusalem Prepares for Rosh Hashanah and High Holidays
The Jerusalem Municipality has completed its heightened preparations for the upcoming High Holidays, anticipating hundreds of thousands of visitors. The municipal system will operate on an intensified schedule throughout the holiday period to ensure public spaces remain clean, well-maintained, and safe for residents and the expected influx of worshippers and tourists.
Enhancements include the installation of holiday lighting and symbols across neighborhoods and main thoroughfares, with special projections planned for the Chords Bridge. The maintenance department is undertaking extensive flag installations at tourist sites and major intersections, while the gardening department has planted approximately 700,000 seasonal plants and flowers in public areas. The sanitation department will operate around the clock, focusing on waste removal, street sweeping, and clearing debris, particularly in tourist zones, event areas, synagogues, and residential neighborhoods.
The municipality is emphasizing the importance of using recycling bins and "orange bins" for waste disposal. A concentrated collection of Sukkah materials will occur between October 4th and 6th, with residents asked to bundle them separately. For security and public order, the emergency and security department will coordinate with the Israel Police through increased patrols and the use of a 24/7 monitoring center connected to about 5,000 cameras. The enforcement and policing department will bolster forces to maintain order and prevent safety hazards related to Sukkah construction.
During the Ten Days of Repentance, special traffic control and order maintenance operations will take place in the Old City and Jewish Quarter. The municipal hotline, 106, will be reinforced to provide rapid responses to public inquiries. The municipality advises visitors and residents to prioritize public transportation, especially the light rail, and recommends using "Park and Ride" facilities at Givat HaTachmoshet and Wadi Joz, or central parking lots like Safra, Mamilla, and Karta, warning that illegally parked vehicles will be towed.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion stated, "Jerusalem is dressing up for the holiday and preparing to welcome its residents and the hundreds of thousands of visitors and worshippers expected during the High Holidays. City employees from all operational, service, and security departments are working around the clock to renew, clean, and maintain every corner of the city, ensuring everyone enjoys a festive, safe, and pleasant atmosphere. I invite the people of Israel to come to the capital and wish all of Israel a good, blessed, and peaceful year."
